Stage 2: Cleanup and Restoration
While the body, engine and tranny were in Myrtle Beach, back home in Tennessee we weren't idle. We had lots of parts to clean, paint or maybe just order replacements for.
     
On the left, I started with the dashboard. Here I'm holding the old inner dash in my left hand and the newly sawn replacement in my right hand. You can see that the old one was missing a few pieces.
                 
 
Looks like lots of hands have practiced soldering techniques under the dash- board.
    
         
One part of the garage looks like a used parts bin. What you can't see is the exhaust system hanging from the ceiling and the shelving unit you can see has two lower shelves crammed with small parts.
      
 


In March 2006, the paint work begins. There is no rust. The frame will be sandblasted but doors and similar areas are sort of thin and may start bending or flexing from the air pressure so the body is hand sanded to remove old paint and primer. Then a fresh coat of primer is applied.

  
All of the heavy sanding/priming is taking place in South Carolina. But back in Tennessee we're still staying busy sanding and painting all the small parts. Here's some of our work on the horn mount: Before, after sandblasting, and after painting. You also get a peek at our paint drying "booth" also known as a cardboard box.
   

MG TD opening page
Stage 1 is the dismemberment of little Chitty Bang.
Stage 3 is the first step in the reassembly: installation of the engine and tranny.
Stage 4 is the second step in the reassembly: The tub is painted and we start hanging "stuff" on it.
Stage 5 is The Coming Together. When all the parts are put on and the test drive is taken
Stage 6 is the 2008 -2009 shows and drives that Chitty-Bang participated in.